


Through the White Paper Wilderness – A Scribaling's Progress [Revisited]

by Yeoyou



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, POV First Person, Writer's Block, every writer needs their blank sheet piece right? this is mine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 11:49:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10616307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeoyou/pseuds/Yeoyou
Summary: A glaring sun burns down on the small group of people below. They stagger across the white harsh ground, moving forward so slowly it seems they make hardly any progress at all. They seem lost on the wide white plain.As indeed we are.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The original version of this was written in 2009 during my time in a writer's forum and held some insider jokes and allusions. This is a polished up/edited version that should be accessible to everyone.

A glaring sun burns down on the small group of people below. They stagger across the white harsh ground, moving forward so slowly it seems they make hardly any progress at all. They seem lost on the wide white plain.

As indeed we are.

 

I shield my eyes from the blinding rays of sun reflected from the ground. If it just weren’t so darn white! But the paper beneath my feet mocks me with its emptiness. Not a single feeble line of ink diverts the eye. Not a single fountain of inspiration anywhere in sight.

I see my companions struggling beside me. At least we’re together. At least I'm not alone. Our group searches as one but each of us has to find the goal on their own. The thing most sought for, the hardest thing to find in this desert: an idea. The rare thing that'll sweep you away and carry you onwards till you reach the end. A stable and reliable idea, blessed by the muses. It feels like I haven't seen one in ages. The smaller ones are easier to follow, to grasp in all their slipperiness. But of course we all dream of catching the big one.

We’re a sad sight as we totter on. We’re nearer to crawling than to walking. But at least we’re still moving forward. The only question is where to. And none of us can tell whether we’ll find something there.

 

“I think I see something.” Rynn shouts out in joy. Any _something_ is better than nothing I guess. We gather up some energy and walk a bit faster. Soon we can make out what Rynn saw. It’s books. Hundreds of them or more in piles that are so high they block out the sun. We approach them with open mouths.

“They’re _how to_ guides to writing!” Fox steps closer, stretching out their hand to one of the volumes.

“Don’t touch them and don’t go in there!” Kitty cries out and pulls Fox back. “They’re treacherous. It’s a maze and once in there you might not come back out again. Lots of aspiring writers have gotten themselves lost in there. They'll follow one book to the next, question one author after the author how they do it and it never helps.”

Tess nods and takes Fox's other arm, leading them away.

We others look at Kitty and then at the books, horror dawning in our eyes. They looked so harmless and helpful. It’s a good thing we’re here together. It was a narrow escape. We don’t feel comfortable so close to this deadly trap but Kitty assures us that the books can’t harm us if we stay together and don’t open them. We rest in their shadow for a while but we are all glad when Kitty gives the signal to move on.

The close encounter with the book maze has put a damper on our spirits and so we keep silent as we trot on. Once more I’m glad for the company of my friends. On our own, each of us might have fallen into the trap but together we were strong enough to resist the temptation of easy writing guides promising fame and a never-ceasing stream of creativity.

 

The stillness around us is deafening, the monotony of the surrounding paper plain is lulling our minds to sleep. But suddenly I hear something. Soft murmuring of waves, gently lapping pebbles. I see stones glistening in the sunshine, a cool breeze caresses my tired eyes. I can almost smell the sea, I can—

It’s gone. I’m back in the white desert. I realise that the others are looking at me expectantly but I just shake my head and we resume our walking. It must have been an inspiration passing by. Most likely on its way to somebody else. I wonder faintly what that person will do with it but my mind is numb and my imagination dried out.

 

“Hey, what about the fanfic AU you’re writing?” Tess asks me out of the blue (or out of the white? It’s all deadly white around us).

“Oh, I’m inspired” I answer. “Just not in an inspired sort of way. I know what’s going to happen later but not what’s going to happen now.”

“Can’t you at least write down the later bit?” Mimi wonders.

“No, I promised myself I wouldn’t. I would have to rewrite it again anyway. Besides, just because I know what happens doesn't mean I can actually put it words. Not good ones anyway."

The others nod in sympathy. The common writer's curse: you either have words but nothing to say or too much to say and no words. On the rare occasions you have both, you probably won't have any minute to spare for actual writing or nothing to write.

 

This time it’s me that sees it first. A small oasis with trees of cables with computer screens attached to them. I hurry there, fingers greedily outstretched. A hand grabs my shirt and holds me back.

“What are you doing, Yeo?” Kitty looks at me.

“I…I wanted to go on the Internet. Check some emails, surf tumblr…and…and maybe I’ll write something.”

“Would you really?”

I glance at the computers and have to admit the truth. “No” I whisper, staring to the ground.

“You wanted to distract yourself,” Kitty states. Of course she is right. At the most, I might have written about writing in one of the endless ask memes.

“It’s just such an unpleasant feeling, wandering around here waiting for inspiration to hit me.”

The others hug me and pat my back sympathetically. They know exactly what I mean. Together they pull me on, away from the Net. Another narrow escape.

 

I feel my mind starving without any food for my thoughts but there’s no helping it. We’re stuck here and can only go on and on, waiting for something to change or to happen.

High paper mountains rise on the horizon before us and as we’re drawing nearer we’re discussing whether we should alter our direction or whether we should try and cross the obstacle.

“We don’t know, maybe there’s just more plain paper behind those mountains”, Mimi muses, not really keen on the thought of climbing so high.

“Exactly, we don’t know. Maybe there’s something else over there. Inspiration and ideas for everyone!” Fox's eyes sparkle, they wants to find something desperately.

In the end we agree that we will try it together. As Kitty put it “Who said being an author has to be easy? It’s our job to go beyond the borders of the world, to go where others can’t or won’t go.” That makes us somehow feel important and brave.

“But be careful, the paper might have sharp edges there and paper can cut deep.” Tess warns us as we approach the fringe of the mountains. Indeed, it seems to be a difficult journey that lies ahead of us. We rest one last time on the lower ground before diving into the maze of paper cliffs and valleys, slopes and crevices.

 

Higher and higher we climb, helping each other. It’s a tough sport and, exhausted as we already where when we started, I sometimes fear we won’t make it. But somehow we struggle on. We reach just another crevice that cuts through the mass of paper. It’s narrow and dark in there but it seems to offer the easiest way for us to get to the other side. We walk very slowly and look up at the high walls on each side of us. Whispered words grow into huge echoes, mocking us with our own words and we keep silent.

“Watch out!” Fox cries suddenly and pulls Rynn out of the way. They stumble to the ground as a huge boulder of crumpled paper thunders past them. Rynn wants to thank her saviour but the danger is not over yet. We hear a rumbling sound coming nearer fast. More and more balls of paper fly and tumble our way and we press our backs tightly to the nearest paper wall.

“Those must be bad ideas that were thrown away.” Mimi shouts over the noise. We’re too terrified to answer, praying and hoping that the avalanche will be over quick.

We’re lucky and none of us gets hurt but the shock is buried deep inside of us as we stagger into the middle of the crevice. Tess drops to the floor where she stands and we all flop down beside her. For a while nothing more can be heard than hard breathing while we rest and gather our senses back.

“That was narrow” Rynn whispers and clutches Tess's arm.

“We should move on and out of this crevice. The sooner we’re on open ground the better I’d say.” Kitty pulls me up on my feet and together we help the others to get up as well. I’m not too happy to walk into the direction the bad ideas came from but I see Kitty's point. We couldn’t turn back anymore so all that’s left is to move on.

 

It gets even darker momentarily as we pass the middle point of the crevice but soon the sun greets us again. We all keep looking ahead and up the sides of paper constantly, to see whether any more avalanches of bad ideas come our way but all remains peaceful.

The sun is even more blinding after the darkness but blinking against it, we can make out what lies ahead of us.

“The sea!” Mimi squees out in delight. We all stay motionless for a minute, taking in the beautiful view and letting the wind cool our hot heads.

Then we all break into motion at the same time, stumbling down the mountain as fast as we dare, helping each other.

We reach the shore and Kitty pulls of her shoes and runs a few strides into the blue ink. I follow her example, as do the others. After playing in the breakers for a while, we retreat into the shadows of the pen tries nearby. The grant sweet shadows and we lie content and exhausted from our journey.

“What are we going to do next?” Rynn asks, letting the sand slowly pour out between her fingers. I watch it mesmerised but then I get up.

“I don’t know what you’re doing but I will take down one of these trees and steer it out onto the ocean. Let the wind guide me.”

I don’t hesitate any longer and go to work. It’s easier than I imagined and soon my makeshift raft is ready. The others help me pushing it into the ink and I happily mount it.

“I know, inspiration will find me out there. I hope it will find you too.” Last hugs are exchanged and then I drift away. I wave at my companions that are slowly getting smaller and smaller. Then I only look ahead full of happy expectation. As much as I love my friends and would like to stay with them, I have to go on alone. I can only find the land of my imagination on my own. Just like the others have to find it each for themselves. The last journey is a lonely one. I don’t know where I’m going but that’s the beauty of it. Inspiration takes you where nobody has been before.


End file.
